The first kill
by Insanity Gained
Summary: A one-chapter first person narrative taking place in The Stalker's perspective, and the conclusion of the hunt for his first target, the (non-canon) 'Leader' Tenno/Warframe named Dux. (Latin for leader. I know, pretty original)


How is irrelevant. The ninth beat gave birth to a new predator. Created me.  
As the stadium's floors turned red, I knew I would never be the same.

When you went to sleep, I stayed awake.  
Honing my skills, wandering and waiting for the day you would reveal yourselves again.  
I was there, when the first of you woke up. I spent eons searching for him.

Meditating and waiting in front of the doors of your icy prison, a self-induced sentence.  
Living the illusion that any action can wipe away the sins of your past.  
As the doors opened, I saw the shimmer of his helmet. The frills, the majestic shape.  
This damned Tenno even had a Warframe designed as a royal garb.

He was Dux, the first Tenno destined to awake.  
To lead the others into battle and guide their powers.

But he was alone now. And as the doors slid open, I could feel his stare onto me.  
He did not move, and I did not stand up from my meditation.  
What would seem like hours, maybe days, he did not move.  
He did not recognize me. Not in this armor. The black shine acting as a charred stain on the snow covered ground.

Then his foot slightly slid sideways.  
In this ending silence, the snow made it sound as loud as the drums that heralded the slaughter, so many years ago.  
I reached for my opposing sides in response, both my arms wrapped around me.  
And as I stood up, my arms would protrude and conjure a series of sharp projectiles.

In his own reassured manner, he dodged them with nary a move.  
His helmet showed no emotion, but I knew he felt only too confident in my missing.  
I didn't need him to move. He needed to stay right there.

As I drew closer, I threw my final few.  
The last ones were destined to hit him up close.  
I saw them fly, but they became suspended in mid-air as a globe appeared around him.

My velocity flew me right into it, and suddenly he had become the fastest Tenno I ever saw.  
I saw my shuriken continue their flight, and realized I was suspended in an orb where time slowed down.  
I was trapped.

This will not stand. This murderer, sinner, executioner. He must meet his death at my hands.  
I will adapt and counter everything you throw at me, foolish Tenno, for nothing will hold me from vengeance.  
My anger, it resides strongly within me. It slows him down. It undoes his spell, his hold over me.

And as he gathered his bearings, he noticed my freedom, not a moment too soon.  
I throw a series of my knives to him, ending the wave of metal with an arrow.  
He summons the next of his bag of tricks. A globe that follows his being.  
It takes my knives and breaks it down, absorbing their power.  
My arrow pierces halfway through, but succumbs to it as well.

I stand amazed, even for a moment.  
But this alone is punished heavily, as he raises his hand and the orb fires a magnificent projectile of light in my direction.  
It seeks me, wishes to collide with me. It's beautiful green glow.

On the last moment, I manage to deflect it.  
My weapon almost blew back right into me, but the ceiling was much worse for it, as it gained a hole where the projectile met.  
But his orb, his shield, it got smaller and smaller. It was running out of power.

A flurry of arrows was fired. Each more powerful than the next.  
All of them were pierced deep in the orb, one almost reaching his chest.  
But all were absorbed, one by one.  
But that did not matter, as I lunged above, pointing my scythe right at him.

His timing was perfect, and his orb met my weapon in a fierce battle of strength.  
A battle I was winning, as his orb grew smaller and smaller.  
The tip reached his helmet and left a scar in it, but he flexed his arms and suddenly I found myself pushed back.

His orb had grown considerably in size and was brighter than before.  
It seemed he knew how to overload Tenno powers.  
But it was unstable. And as he drew closer, firing his poorly homing projectiles, the shield started to wobble.  
It was ready to explode on itself, something he knew and wanted to do up close.

I raised my hand in his direction. And as I pushed myself up, he stood frozen.  
For a moment, I felt like I could grab him and crush him in my palm.  
Instead, I grabbed hold and whipped my hand away.  
And gone, was his orb. Dispelled, my adversary stood baffled.

Now he reached a moment of panic, and resorted to throwing transparent orbs.  
The first one pushed me away, but I would have none of it.  
It was time I ended this, so I moved out of the way of everything he threw at me.  
I'm fast now, faster than you can believe.

Five more times do I dodge his attacks, it must look as if I am teleporting as his head fails to track my movement consistently.  
The last one was thrown, and his fatigued stance betrayed what had happened.

He was out, empty. He had given his all.  
And for the brief moment he saw me stand, gazing at him, I was faintly hoping he would recognize me.  
But soon, for the short period of life he had left, he would acknowledge me as his killer.

I dashed forward. Even quicker than before.  
My scythe in hand, the blade meeting his abdomen.  
His right hand meets my shoulder, and I whisper the words to him.  
"Murderer. Slaughterer."  
If we could see each others faces, our eyes would definitely have crossed now.  
He looks at me, and with a painful gasp he whispers back.  
"I remember."

I feel a power protruding from my weapon. A green glow reaching from it's sunk blade to my palms.  
An aura surrounds me, the same familiar orb now reaching around me.  
And as I step back from the dying leader, blade still embedded, I flex my arms.  
I can feel a new power arriving or awakening into me.

I look at the ancient yet dying Tenno.  
I feel ready, I spread my arms, and an explosion follows.  
The blast throws him back into the wall, and I know that my first kill was over.

I recover my scythe. It's job is done, rewarded with rest as it is held on my back.  
While I turn to make my leave, I hear a faint female voice whimper.  
"No no no…"  
I look around but see nothing living besides myself. I continue my pace and disregard it.

Dux was the first to die at my hands, and his missing leadership will find you in chaos and disarray.  
As you scatter in panic, you will find me in the shadows.  
Waiting for you to trip and fall.

Your head shall be a trophy for your brethren to find.  
Such is my hatred, such will be your dread, and so shall your despair be.


End file.
